What's in store for Illinois athletic director Ron Guenther?

Saturday

Mar 19, 2011 at 12:01 AMMar 19, 2011 at 7:00 PM

Illinois hadn’t even tipped off in the NCAA tournament Friday before fans turned their attention to the offseason and the future. As everyone waits for a decision on athletic director Ron Guenther’s future, speculation boiled up during the week over the direction of the department more than at any time in the last 15 years. Guenther will update the board of trustees on the process of renovating Assembly Hall on Wednesday in Springfield, but otherwise there are still more questions than answers in what could be a busy offseason. Fans are talking, and columnists are giving their opinions on what lies ahead.

John Supinie

TULSA, Okla. — It’s March Madness, on and off the court.

Illinois hadn’t even tipped off in the NCAA tournament Friday before fans turned their attention to the offseason and the future. As everyone waits for a decision on athletic director Ron Guenther’s future, speculation boiled up during the week over the direction of the department more than at any time in the last 15 years.

Guenther will update the board of trustees on the process of renovating Assembly Hall on Wednesday in Springfield, but otherwise there are still more questions than answers in what could be a busy offseason. Fans are talking, and columnists are giving their opinions on what lies ahead.

-- Will Guenther’s contract be extended after the current deal expires on June 30?

Guenther said he wasn’t sure about his future during a meeting with the media on Feb. 16, and he mulled stepping down as athletic director or hinted at the possibility of leading the renovation of Assembly Hall as a special project manager.

“There are some options where I don’t need to be athletic director in order to assist,’’ Guenther said about a month ago.

According to athletic department personnel, there are still no clues on Guenther’s future.

After meeting with university president Michael Hogan earlier this winter to update him on the Assembly Hall project, Hogan wanted Guenther to address the trustees, a relatively new group.

The presentation to the trustees may still not be a hint of Guenther’s future, although it could be difficult for Illinois to proceed with the project if Guenther doesn’t remain involved.

-- If Guenther would step down or step aside to project manager, how would that affect the status of basketball coach Bruce Weber and football coach Ron Zook?

Guenther said a month ago that he felt there was no reason for a change in basketball and would leave it to Weber to decide upon any staff changes. With Hogan in charge, there’s the feeling that he will expect more results.